A round of grant funding will be offered to industry to develop projects and initiatives to support the growth, retention, and sustainability of the agricultural workforce.

Member for Hume Angus Taylor said the AgUP program would help industry to take control of the key resource that underpins their future – people.

“The AgUP grants program is about supporting industry led initiatives to develop career pathways and upskill, train and mentor agricultural workers,” Mr Taylor said.

“By supporting these initiatives, we can build up the industry workforce in a way that is sustainable and so businesses and the regions that rely on them can keep good people.

“Training, retaining and growing the workforce is just one way that we can support the industry to become a $100 billion sector by 2030.”

The AgUP Program 2022 (Round 1) opens for applications on 23 November 2021, closing on 20 January 2022.

More information on the AgUP Grants Program is available at www.awe.gov.au/agriculture-land/farm-food-drought/agricultural-workforce or at www.communitygrants.gov.au/grants.